Cure for Poison
by BerryMaiden
Summary: Post Shinobi world war. Sakura and Sasuke had been assigned a mission. Their lives are depending on the success of the mission. Sasusaku sakuraxsasuke
1. Mission

**Chapter 1**

"What?!" Sakura exclaimed. "Sasuke-kun?" Her eyes widened as she looked at the raven-haired boy standing next to her. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard. This was the last thing they needed as the fourth shinobi ended little over a month ago.

"It seems so" Tsunade puts her pen down and sighed as she placed a hand on her chin.

The former teammates were summoned to the hokage office late in the evening to discuss a 'switcheroo' that had taken place.. Sakura had initially brushed this of as some prank the newly formed genin teams pulled while they slacked off on a D rank mission. She wouldn't have thought twice that this whole intervention was about the package she handed over to Sasuke seven days ago.

"However Sakura, you are as much to blame for this as Sasuke" The Hokage eyed daggers at the rosette.

Sakura jumped back in a ridiculous fashion. "What?!" she exclaimed for the second time. Though the boy in question have been keeping a straight face through out all this. Since his return to the village things hadn't been all that different as it were five years ago. If anything, the training rituals Naruto and Sasuke engaged in were more violent to say the least.

" Sakura" The Hokage began, her voice rose "You were the one who gave the poison to Sasuke instead of the medicine we promised to deliver to Takigakure!"

Sakura briefly remembered going through the supply basement of the village. She recalled handing a box to Sasuke and she was pretty sure that , that box had contained the herbs and medicine intended for the hidden waterfall.

" That was poison?" yelped Sakura. The bottles in the package as she recalls were identical to the herbal medical packages. Feeling annoyed at this she blurted out

" Then why would you put the medicine and the poison in boxes that look exactly alike!"

The Kunoichi clasped her hands over her mouth. Knowing her master's temper, she regretted her outburst.

"Sakura do not put the blame on me" Tsunade felt irritation bubble up. " Do you have any idea what this has cost us?

The pale blonde woman stood up and pointed at the Uchiha.

" And you! The fact that you didn't bother to check what you were delivering to a _foreign_ nation!"

" I simply did what I was asked to do, no more no less" said Sasuke.

But the Hokage wouldn't have any of it. Tsunade banged her fists on her desk and yelled. " Your life is at stake boy!"

Sakura widened her eyes. " What do you mean?" it was true that even after the fourth ninja world war, most villages still didn't trust the lone Uchiha. It was only palpable that the action of delivering poison to the hidden waterfall village could be viewed as threatening. Even though that wasn't his intention.

Tsunade took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure.

" Remember how the last war was a war to protect Naruto? This could very well become a war to kill the last Uchiha"

A knot formed in her throat as the rosette clenched her gloved fists. " But why?! A lot of people deliver things by mistake, Why does it have to be Sasuke?!"

There was no way she was going to go through another separation of her team again. Not after the last three years. Her feeling for the Uchiha may have sufficed but that does not mean that she cared any less for the young man.

At this the said Uchiha merely glanced at his former teammate before eyeing the hokage again.

" I think you know why" the woman glanced at the raven-haired boy. " He's been labeled a criminal. An S rank criminal before, that alone should be a reason why"

" But" Sakura averted her eyes down. " He played a major role in winning the war! If anything they should be grateful-"

" Sakura!" voiced Sasuke without facing her.

"Sasuke-kun…"

Tsunade shook her head and sighed. " This may have been their final straw if it weren't for them giving us a chance"

The young medic raised her head and from the corners of her eyes she could see that Sasuke was more alert. " A chance?"

The blonde nodded as she picked up a letter delivered to her by the council of the waterfall village. " Takigakure expects a delivery of what they rightfully ordered."

"Medicine" Sasuke stated in understanding.

"However" Tsunade stated slow. " It must be delivered in seven days, if not they will wage war"

Sakura inwardly sighed. The one time she was put in charge of the medical unit she had messed it up with a possibility of war. She looked at the taller boy miserably.

This slight mistake could cost his life, though she was sure that he was more than capable of handling a war but the possibility of seeing him go back to the way he used to be… even the thought was unbearable. Before she made any silly vows to herself again she waited for her master's instructions.

" Sasuke and Sakura , you've now been assigned this mission"

* * *

After being given the map to Takigakure Sakura began her way out of the Hokage office. Pacing down the marble halls she looked out the long window and the sun was setting, Seven more sunsets, till this weight is lifted of her chest.

Being given a mission with Sasuke. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about that. Nostalgia waved over her as she remembered her old self. Her mind too a daze to care about what anyone thought as she followed Sasuke around like a lost puppy. She would have given anything to be alone with the dashing Uchiha.

But now, she wasn't sure how she, Haruno Sakura the discipline of a sannin who's gone through hell and back trying to keep her teammates from falling apart felt about this. Should she feel anything at all? This is just a mission to fix an honest mistake wasn't it?

"Oi Sakura"

Speak of the devil

She immediately snapped out of her thoughts and realized that she was out of the hokage building and the same boy she'd been musing about was standing right in front of her.

" Sasuke-kun?"

Was he waiting for her?

The Uchiha waved a piece of paper in front of him, " We need to go over the mission plan"

Oh. Of course! How could she forget the plan! "R-right" was all that croaked out of her. Sasuke simply turned and started to walk of towards the village center. The rosette scurried after him.

* * *

They were sitting in a table for two in a dango shop. He had ordered two sets of savories for the both of them. When it was time to order drinks Sasuke glanced at her.

"Oh! Water is fine with me" Sakura said meekly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and turns towards the waiter. "I'll have water too"

The map of the village hidden in the waterfall was unrolled on the table with the mission plan document right beside it. Sakura tapped her glass of water with her fingers and she didn't even notice the way her feet were swaying anxiously.

" You've changed" he states out of the blue.

It was a brief statement but nonetheless it had broken the ice between them. Sakura wonders whether this is a good thing.

" Oh?" she smiles. " How?"

" You don't talk as much"

Sakura frowned at this. " How so?"

"There" he says. "You use fewer syllables"

She attempted to keep her voice low as more customers passed by. She wonders what they would make of this scene if a familiar face walked by. Naruto and Kakashi were away on a mission so that's one breath of relief.

" Using words like 'syllables' doesn't suit you" Sakura whispers back. She cringes slightly at how lame her comeback was.

"Whispering doesn't suit you" Sasuke said back with a smirk.

Sakura leaned back on her chair and pouts before she broke into a smile before gradually laughter bubbled up.

Happiness fluttered in her, though the reason may be silly she had spent years dreaming and finally to be able to have a normal conversation with the "murderous" Uchiha was a surreal experience. Sakura stopped laughing when she noticed the Uchiha eyeing her with a mystified expression. Embarrassed she cleared her throat before she grabbed a dango.

" So.. the mission plan?" She said gawkily.

Sasuke placed a figure on the leftmost side of the map. "According to the Hokage we need to meet up with a man that's in Tonzaku town" he slided his fingers across the map. " Which is right on our path to Takigakure"

Sakura nodded. "He's got the medical supplies we need to deliver"

Sasuke taped his fingers. " Aren't there any more medical supplies in Konoha?"

" Naruto and Kakashi are delivering the last batch to Sunagakure as we speak" sighed Sakura.

" I see" says the Uchiha. " The man is said to arrive in town day after tomorrow, and we need to complete this mission by the seventh day… so that means-"

" We leave tomorrow" Sakura finishes.

"Exactly"

"But what's this place?" Sakura ignored the way her fingers brushed against Sasuke's as she placed it on an area of a map that looked forested.

There was no hint in his voice whether he felt the touch. " That's the Kuro forest, the fastest path to the hidden waterfall"

The medic nin nods "Though even the fastest path would take us at least seven days unless we stick to a set plan"

" Yes, We'll leave at sunrise" Sasuke started to put back the mission plan document away. "I trust that you won't be late" Sakura inwardly rolls her eyes, He's as authoritative as ever. " Of course"

All that night all she could think about was that day and the next few days to come. She brushed of the fact that Sasuke payed for their little business 'date' because it was only fair as she hadn't known that they were going to a savory shop. She also decided to forget how she ignored hints of old feelings as her fingers brushed against his and how they're going to be by themselves for the next seven days. Seven days. That was a long time.

Sakura mentally slapped herself out of her thoughts and she touched the diamond symbol on her forehead. The yin-seal, the mark of her change. Right now she can't afford to be her old self if it meant that Sasuke might have to revert back as well.

She closed her eyes and prayed that she won't be late the next day.

**A/N- Hey guys, This is going to be 10 chapter SasuSaku story, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and I hope you're looking foreword to see what unfolds. Till then see ya and reviews are much appreciated!**


	2. Day 1

**Chapter 2**

" You're late"

Sakura ran all the way to the village gates only to see the smug Uchiha already there.

" Sorry I had to run a little errand for my mother" She caught her breath.

"Hn"

Truth be told they had an argument. Haruno Mebuki wasn't so keen on letting her daughter off on a mission alone with Uchiha Sasuke.

" _But you knew his mother!" Sakura had said._

" _You can't compare the actions of this generation to the last" _

" _Al right then I'm off!" _

" _W-what w-ait Sakura!" The woman yelled._

She was as trusting as the rest of the five shinobi villages. Old wounds heal hard. Sakura guessed.

* * *

The sun was just rising as they walked further and further away from Konoha. They had gone through the mission details once more before setting foot outside the village gates.

The last time she saw him walking out the village like this was the day he left Konoha. She furiously shook of that memory.

The Uchiha crest on his back illuminated as the sunrays hit. She had to stretch her neck a little to see, He had grown taller. She almost bumped into him when he suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

Sasuke raises a hand and waited as if he were trying to sense something. Sakura looked around her surroundings. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least not that she could see. Maybe he was used to his sensitive senses as he would have often relied on them when he was a… _she doesn't want to think it_…. Criminal.

" Nothing" He replied. He took a few steps foreword but not before he looked back just to make sure.

She becomes grateful for the early morning bird songs as the silence was killing her.

Once they've covered most of their walking distance Sasuke had decided they could have a break before they were to use chakra to jump through trees for the next leg of their journey.

Sakura took this the opportunity to make sure here gear and supplies were in place as she took a seat on nearby boulder. Tonzaku town will be a few meters away from here but that is not to say that they won't need their energy as tree jumping.. as effortless as it look takes a toll to a certain extent.

The rosette takes out a packed onigiri she managed to snatch from her mother's kitchen. She looked at the raven haired boy who had an alert glint in his eyes. Does he still think there's something out there?

"Sasuke-kun?"

"hm"

"Do you want anything?" she takes out an extra onigiri.

"No"

Sakura's face fell. If this was how it is going to be between them through out the whole mission she doesn't know how she's going to survive. _Heck even having Ino here would have been more entertaining_.A low grumble caught her attention and soon the empty space next to her was occupied.

" I didn't have break fast" He said.

She suppressed a snicker as she handed him the second onigiri. "You're welcome"

Sasuke glares and takes a bite out of the rice ball. They remained like this for a few moments. A breeze picks up brushing their hair in the cool gust. The afternoon sun shining through the gaps between leaves of the tall trees they were to conquest in a moment. Sakura noticed that neither of them was eating anymore.

"I should have gotten more huh?" She said. Sasuke just rose an eyebrow at her.

"Onigiri" she complied. " My mother had made lots"

"I see"

Another silent moment passed. She felt like it was an eternity till he spoke again.

" Is she a kind woman?"

It was Sakura's turn to raise an eyebrow. The question took her off guard. "huh?"

" Your mother"

Sakura made an 'o' with her mouth before taking the time to answer. "My mother gets on my nerves sometimes and most of the time I find her over protectiveness annoying" Sasuke frowns slightly at this.

"But" Sakura continued as she remembered the 'conversation' she had with her today. " I know she only wants what's best for me and I'm truly grateful" She wished she could have had a better start to the day with her mother. Missions like this tend to be dangerous. She would have to have her last memory be a fight.

"Hn" Sasuke smirked slightly.

"Well I guess you really have changed"

Sakura had figured that his question wasn't just for the sake of asking a question.. that Sasuke was testing her!

" What are you saying?" She asked slowly.

For the first time that day Sasuke faced her and there was a slight upturn of his lips that looked like a smile. " You once told me that you disregarded your family because they were annoying"

Sakura's eyes widened. " I'd never-" she stops mid –sentence as the memory came flooding back to her. It was the day they first met, on the bench area by the sakura tree. She had angered him that day as she rambled on Naruto being an orphan and how she seemed unappreciative for what she had. The day Sasuke had claimed he had forgotten the day he left Konoha.

"T-that day?" she stammered. " So you do remember!"

Sasuke averts her teasing eyes. " Just that bit" He frowned as Sakura started to laugh.

"Stop" he said.

"Why because you-" She head it too. There was a slight rustle through the trees and she was sure it was no animal.

" Come on let's go" Sasuke instructed. Sakura nods slightly before she gathered her supplies and strapped her travel pack around her waist.

As they neared the tree route Sasuke suddenly turned around and whips a kunai at a bush.

" I know you're there!" He roared. " Come out"

The hider came out. Not one but five men that looked like bandits.

" We have nothing to offer you" Sasuke claimed. Sakura's hands were near her waist pack just to be cautious.

d

" Oh? But I spotted a map you both were carrying a few hours back" says the tall one with a very scruffy beard.

" You saw wrong now leave us-" Sakura stops as she realizes that something was wrong. She stares at the men in front of her. where was the fourth one? Sakura turns around and sees a shorter man snatch the map out of her waist pack.

The former teammates gapes as the shorter man jumped over them and landed near his team of bandits.

" Oh! Nice one nii-san!" A pudgy man smacks the shorter man on his shoulders. Sakura stares in shock. How did he sneak up on her like that?

"Give it back!" she cries.

The bandits look at each other breaks into laughter. The oldest looking man pretends to wipe a tear of his face. "Ohh what then little girl? He faces the rest of his men and asks. " Do we really expect this skank to do anything?"

Flames spiral towards the men, it takes them by surprise but they jump away from the scorching fire.

"Now Sakura!" Sasuke shouts.

Sakura smirks as she channels chakra to her feet to give her a boost in speed. She whizzes closer towards the gang of men before gathering just the right amount into her fists before releasing the chakra all at once with a single punch to the ground.

The shorter man falls of balance and Sakura takes this the opportunity to try and grab the map from him but the pudgy looking man was right over her armed with a large kunai as he tries to strike her.

"Katon gokakyu no jutsu"

Flames blasts against the the man as he went flying before landing on the ground with a hard thud.

"outouto!" screams the shorter man. He scurries over to his fallen brother, He definitely wasn't dead as they could still sense his chakra. The rest of the bandits follows the shorter man.

Sakura makes an attempt to try and retrieve the map once more but a strong hand grabs her wrists. "No, Tonzaku town is straight up a head" Says Sasuke. " We can figure our way when we reach there"

They use chakra on the trees and hops over to tonzaku town.

* * *

When they arrive they realize that the sun was setting, despite the inconviencen they realized that they had arrived a day before the man with the medicine supplies was suppose to arrive.

" We made time!" Sakura exclaimed. No response from the taller boy. Sakura looked to her left to her horror he looked bilious.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura noticed that Sasuke had a wound on his torn right shoulder.

" It's nothing" Sasuke assured.

But Sakura wouldn't have any of it, Before he could protest Sakura started to channel her healing chakra onto his flesh.

The sensation felt odd to Sasuke as the warm glow of the green chakra soothed his skin as it healed his wounds. He noticed the determined look in Sakura's own green eyes that seemed to match the glow of her chakra. Sasuke fights not to show his smile before passing out.


	3. Night 1

**Chapter 3**

It was evening when they had finally settled into town. Neither of them had a lot of baggage and so when Sasuke woke up they both sat outside the Inn. They sat in utter silence for a while before Sakura noticed a red bump forming on Sasuke's arms.

" They used a poisonous kunai!" she claims in utter horror. Sasuke looked at her with lazy eyes. Surely the Uchiha bloodline can't be immune to this too. Sasuke pats his wound lightly.

"You've already healed it, It's enough"

"No! I'm going to see if this town sells any herbs" Sakura stood up. " I can't have you die on me"

"Tsch" Sasuke smirks. _As boisterous as ever huh Sakura?_

"Very well" He walked over to her. "I'm coming with you"

Sakura rose an eyebrow at him. Since when had he ever wanted to help her. Oh right. She was the one who was going to heal him.

"Suit yourself" she walked before turning around. "Just stop touching the wound! It'll get worse!"

Sasuke droped his arms to the side. " Alright doctor"

The kunoichi huffed as she started walking faster with a smug Sasuke trailing behind her.

* * *

The town was smaller than she thought. A notice at the front of the town had said that it would take approximately less that 10 mins to walk around the perimeter. That was almost the size of Konoha's center! And the center of Konoha wasn't that big. Sakura looked to the line of small houses. There were people lighting up lanterns as the sunset. It must look really beautiful at night. She thinks.

A small pharmacy was located right next to a smaller inn than they were staying. The shop looked really messy and un organized she thought that her mother would have a fit if she ever saw this place. Heck, she might even clean up the place herself. The pinkette smiled at the thought.

She'd never admit it, but not matter how many times she'd done this she always missed home while she was away on missions. She entered the pharmacy with Sasuke trailing behind her. The duo stopped at the counter.

"Do you by any chance sell – herbs?" Sakura asked the man behind the counter. He started tapping his food with an inquired look.

"Yes I do" He says at last. " Why? Did someone get poisoned?"

"It's for my-" Sakura noded her head over to Sasuke who was looking around the shop. "Friend" she figured using the term ' teammate" seemed too stiff.

Sasuke looked up at this and stared at the back of Sakura's head. He felt oddly content by the term but at the same time he wishes she hadn't used it.

"Why'd you decide to become a medic?" He asked.

The question came out of no where and the kunoichi was visibly stunt. "huh?"

Sasuke sighs. "Back in the day" He began slowly which in turn annoyed the pinkette. " I'd never thought of you as the medic type"

"Back in the day I'd never thought that you'd betray the village"

"_"

Sakura clasps her hands over her mouth at what she'd just said. "I'm sorry.. i-it just came out!"

" It's ok" Said Sasuke with an unusually softer expression.

The shopkeeper goes to the back of the shop and brings out a small green substance with yellow stripes on it. " Here – herb" he said brightly as he placed it in a bag.

"Oh no need for a bag" says Sakura. She was just going to use the herb that's all.

"Alright then that would be 5 ryuu"

Only five? She remembered how the herbs in the village hidden in the sand were much more expensive. But then again it would have taken a long time to grow such herbs in the schorching heat. She doesn't complain as she payed the amount.

They walked out the shop and the sun had completely set. This side of the town was much darker than the rest. Sakura looked around to find a proper place to sit so she could treat the Uchiha.

"I saw a place" he said nonchantly.

"What?" Sakura asked.

Without answering her he walked off into the direction towards the inn they were staying. Sakura sighed and followed him, clutching onto the bag. She could barely see where she was going when she bumped into him as it was dark.

"There" Sakura rubbed her nose and looked at where he was pointing at. It was a bunch of benches around a fountain. Sakura thought that this was ideal and took a seat with Sasuke next to her.

She touched the forming red blister on Sasuke's shoulder. It wasn't as bad as she thought it was as it wasn't as rough, but it would be if it wasn't properly healed. She took out the herb and channeled some of her healing chakra into it and carefully touched Sasuke's wound.

Sasuke looked in wonder as she worked quietly yet efficiently. Her eyes looked just as determined as it looked when she first healed him earlier that day but the healing effect was twice as calming as her warm chakra was infused with the cool herbs. Sasuke could feel the irritation going away slowly as with his tiredness he felt from the poison.

When she was done Sakura wiped her forehead. "There, you're lucky you didn't have any poison seeped in you, otherwise that would have been a bigger problem"

Sasuke touched his fully healed wound. " Yeah"

The rosette frowned a little at this. " You know.. in other words you'd be dead without me here" All she wanted was a little gratitude.

" I'm not too sure about that" Sasuke answered with his eyes still on his healed skin. Sakura was about to have a comeback to this when unexpectedly the whole area illuminated.

The lanterns surrounding the town square were now lit. The town would have looked like a flat candle from an arieal point of view. It was as if the dark gloomy town during the day turned into a light warm home as the night fell. Sakura looked around in wonder. The flames from the lights were reflecting on Sasuke's eyes. A light in the dark. A dark in the light.

" This reminds me of o-bon" said Sakura her voice full of delight at the site.

"O-bon?" He turned to look at her.

"It's a festival to honour the dead!" Explained Sakura, she then immediately quiets down after realizing what she had just said. Sasuke noticed this and shook his head.

" I remember Itachi saying something like that when we were younger" He answered and hints that the subject was ok. Sakura didn't seem to have caught on as she looks at him in sadness.

Sasuke sighed. "Till he turned thirteen he would always find one way or another to honour the dead"

Finally taking the hint Sakura smiled. She too had been told the truth about Itachi from Kakashi a few days after the war had ended. The story shook her and all she thought about was how they had managed to do the impossible. No. Sasuke had turned himself around on his own. And Itachi had been the drive. And always will be. Had it been any other story. The out come might not have been as pretty.

" Last year Naruto and I went to the celebrations" She laughed at the memory. " He claimed that he saw the ghost of the Sandaime!"

The Uchiha chuckled lightly. " That dobe"

Sakura grined at the old nickname. " Yeah.."

"He's ready"

The kunoich rose and eyebrow. " What do you mean?"

" To become Hokage"

"But Sasuke-kun didn't you want to become Hokage too?" She asked.

"Didn't say I wasn't going to" He looks up. " I'm just saying that Naruto is at that level now"

Sakura sighs. That's going to be one battle she wasn't looking foreword to at all. Though the circumstances were entirely different to the last battle she had to watch between the two.

" Sakura" she bolted up at the sound of her name still not used to it. "What's your ambition" He looked at her.

"Ambition?"

Sasuke sighed. " You asked the fifth to train you for a reason"

Sakura laments remembering the day she made the choice to better herself. So far her journey and training with Tsunade had been all for the purpose of protecting her teammates and … bringing Sasuke back to Konoha as she made a promise to Naruto. But now that the goal had been achieved Sakura found that she's at a loss for words.

"I-I don't know" She says.

"You should probably have that figured out" Sasuke shook his head and stands up. "It's getting late the man might be here early so we should probably go"

Sakura nodded and they both walk down the irradiated path towards the inn.

* * *

Sakura woke up well before break fast. Having nothing to do till then she walked towards to the herb shop which was convinently opened to gather supplies so she wont have to rush or run out of supplies before they leave. Behind the counter wasn't the man from before but a young woman,

"Hello welcome to the store" she bowed. " Can I get you anything?"

Sakura smiled. " Yeah I just need some aka herb"

The woman chuckled. "Why? Are you going to make poison" she started gathering the red herbs from a nearby shelf when Sakura didn't answer she turned to look at her. "Oh"

"There's no such thing as being too prepared right?" Sakura placed 7 ryuu on the counter.

"No not at all" The shop keeper gives the aka herbs to Sakura. "Especially not for a kunoichi"

* * *

Sasuke was sitting in the outmost table in a small diner right next to their inn when he spots a flash of pink.

"Sakura" he called.

The said kunoichi stops and looks around her finding the source of her sound. Sasuke chuckles lightly at this. She finally spots him and sits on the chair infront of him.

"Sorry I went off to get some supplies" she showed him the bag. Sasuke raises an eyebrow and questions no further.

"Good thinking"

"Is the man here?" Sakura wasn't even sure. who they were suppose to be looking for. Tsunade hadn't given them any description. It's either that or the Hokage herself didn't quite know how he looked like.

"No" He says as he took a sip of his Miso soup.

They ate in silence. The meal wasn't extravagant. Miso soup and steamed rice. The latter was cold and not at all 'steamed' as promised and the kunoichi found the stone chair she was sitting on deeply uncomfortable.

"Excuse me"

The both looked up. There was a man in about his 40's holding a package.

He starts fidgeting. "Sorry to interrupt but I noticed your head bands, you're from Konoha yes?

"Yes and you are?" asks Sasuke.

" I think I am meant to give you this" He raises the package.

Sasuke takes the package and shakes it. A lot of content but not as heavy as expected. The man seemed to have recognized Sasuke as his expression changes. He touches the package again.

" On second thought, I think I should hand this to the Takigakure elder myself"

Sasuke did not move to release the package. "I was assigned this mission and I will do it"

The man had a concerned look in his face as he turned to face Sakura. The rosette on the other hand had an annoyed expression which then made him turn back to face Sasuke.

"I know a safer road" he stammers.

" That safe road would take you a month! We need this delivered by seven days!" Sakura growls and the man takes a step back. He stares at Sasuke again. The wanted posters had been taken down less than a month and yet here he was.

"I'm surprised the village would assign-"

"I'm not doing this for the village" The Uchiha cuts him off and Sakura's eyes widen. "I'm doing this for Itachi" with that he walks out of the diner with the package in hand. Sakura follows closely behind him.

For Itachi.. Didn't Sasuke value the village as his own person? Did he ever value it? Sakura didn't want to know.

The two steps out of the town and walks out into the hardest leg of their journey. The Kuro forest.


End file.
